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May 11, 2009
GN.008
Dedicated hockey volunteers to be recognized in the Hockey Hall of
Fame, awarded with $10,000 in funding and a team spot in the Vancouver 2010
Olympic Torch Relay
Dedicated hockey volunteers to be recognized in the Hockey Hall of Fame, awarded with $10,000 in funding
and a team spot in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay
TORONTO, MAY 11, 2009 — RBC Insurance, with support from Hockey Canada and the Hockey Hall of Fame, today
recognized Canada’s most dedicated behind-the-scenes hockey volunteers as part of the annual RBC Local Hockey
Leaders program. This year’s 14 winners hail from Delta, BC to Mount Pearl, NL.
“This is a chance to celebrate the unsung hockey volunteers who are the lifeblood of hockey in this country,”
said Neil Skelding, president and CEO RBC Insurance. “This year, for the first time ever, we are rewarding
these Canadians with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame along with members of their
local hockey community.”
The 2009 RBC Local Hockey Leaders will receive a Team Spot in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. This
Team Spot will give each winner and their team of up to 20 individuals the opportunity to collectively carry
the Olympic Flame for one kilometre, enabling the Local Hockey Leaders to recognize others who have come
together to help them make a difference in minor hockey in their communities. Winners will also be celebrated
in their hometowns as a banner recognizing their achievement will be raised in their local arena.
Each winner will also receive $10,000 towards a registered charity/hockey cause in their community and a
signed Team Canada jersey. The winners – one from each Hockey Canada branch and one RBC employee winner- will
also be recognized in a permanent display at the Hockey Hall of Fame which will be unveiled June 16 during a
special ceremony honouring the 2009 RBC Local Hockey Leaders.
2009 Regional RBC Local Hockey Leaders:
| Region |
RBC Local Hockey Leader |
Community |
| Hockey North |
Dolphus Nitsiza |
Behchoko, NWT |
| British Columbia |
Theresa Watts |
Delta, BC |
| Alberta |
Nick Ruigrok |
Okotoks, AB |
| Saskatchewan |
Mike Schwean |
Moosomin, SK |
| Manitoba |
Darren Zembik |
St. Andrew’s, MB |
| Ontario |
Rick Jones |
St. Catharines, ON |
| Northwestern Ontario |
Cosimo Figliomeni Filane |
Schreiber, ON |
| Ottawa District |
Louise Groulx |
Orleans, ON |
| Quebec |
Andrée Leblanc |
Daveluyville, QC |
| New Brunswick |
Mark Toner |
Grand Falls, NB |
| Nova Scotia |
Keith Miller |
Lantz, NS |
| Prince Edward Island |
Bill Butler |
Stratford, PEI |
| Newfoundland & Labrador |
Gary Martin |
Mount Pearl, NFLD |
| RBC’s Own Local Hockey Leader |
Shawn McCormick |
Dartmouth, NS |
A panel including Neil Skelding, National Women’s Team member Jayna Hefford, National Men’s Sledge Hockey
Team captain Jean Labonté, hockey legend Ron Ellis, VANOC executive vice president, revenue, marketing and
communications Dave Cobb, Hockey Canada acting chair Ken Corbett and other Hockey Canada officials selected
winners from hundreds of nominations submitted through the program website.
The RBC Local Hockey Leaders contest inspired hundreds of nominations from cities and towns from coast to
coast. Hard work, dependability, enthusiasm and leadership were among the criteria considered during the
evaluation of submissions.
“Every Canadian community has individuals that dedicate years of tireless service to keep hockey vibrant in
their communities, and RBC deserves a big thank you for their support of these volunteers,” said Bob
Nicholson, president, Hockey Canada. “More than 100 outstanding hockey volunteers have been recognized since
the inception of the program and more than 100 communities have been able to make great improvements to their
hockey programming as a result.”
Over the past six years RBC Insurance has awarded more than $600,000 to grassroots hockey activities across
Canada through the RBC Local Hockey Leaders program. Grants have been used to replace aging equipment, make
hockey more accessible, train coaches, improve facilities and for many other causes close to the hearts of
Canada’s grassroots hockey leaders.
For more information and biographies on all of the RBC Local Hockey Leaders, please visit www.rbclocalhockeyleaders.com.
About RBC Insurance
RBC Insurance provides a wide range of life, health, travel, home, auto and reinsurance products as well as
creditor and business insurance services to more than five million clients in Canada, the U.S. and
internationally. These products and services are offered through a wide variety of distribution channels,
including the telephone, retail insurance branches, independent brokers, travel agents, a proprietary sales
force and the Internet. More information is available at www.rbcinsurance.com. |
